Kristy, 17, was happy that the California Dream Act passed, but she wondered if it was right to give financial aid to illegal residents.

Photo by Sarah Barnes, 14, New Village Charter HS

What now?As an undocumented immigrant, it’s unfair that all my hard work might not lead to college.

I think it’s really unfair that I can’t get the same opportunities as a citizen. I grew up here like any other student. Some people say that undocumented immigrants are criminals because they came here illegally. But I don’t consider myself a criminal because it wasn’t my choice to come here. My parents brought me here because they believed they could provide a better education and a better life for me and my sister.

Too much temptationDistractions are all around us—Facebook, YouTube, texting, TV. It’s sometimes so overwhelming that it can be hard to focus on homework. So we challenged these teens to do their homework without distractions for three days.